Process of printing on inflatable articles



Aug 9, 1932" c. c. SPRAGUE 1,870,825

PROCESS OF PRINTING ON INFLATABLE ARTICLES Filed Dec. 29. 1930 WTNESSPatented Aug. 9, 1932 OFFICE CARL o. SPRAGUE, or wns rnono;MASSACHUSETTS PROCESS or PRINTING oN INFLATABLE ARTICLES Applicationfiled December 29, 193o.*seria1 o. 505,300.

This invention relates to improvements in the processof printing oninflatable articles, suchas balloons and the like.

Heretofore various attempts have been made to print on the surfaces ofinflatable articles, such as balloons. been printed while inflated, butsuch method is impracticable .since the slippage of the rubber on theprinting blocks during printing smudges the ink and produces irregular,distorted figures or designs on the surface of the balloon. Sucharticles have also been printed with words, pictures, designs or figureswhen deflated. The images printed by latter method become materiallydistorted when inflated, and the image separates into indefinitely smallportions, and thereby detracts from its appearance. Neither of thesemethods as above mentioned are practicable, if it is desired to imprinta design extending over a considerable area of the inflatable surface.

It is the primary object of this invention to overcome these previousdifliculties and to provide a process of printing on inflatable articleswhile in a stretched and flat condi-' tion, so that it is possible toprint a design extending over any portion or practically the entiresurface of the articles.

Other objects will be apparent from the following disclosure. Oneembodiment of this process has been illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, in which like reference numerals indicate like parts.

Fig. lis a plan view of the form indicating a balloon in position, readyto be inflated;

Fig. 2 is another plan View showing the balloon partially inflated, andpartially slipped over the form; t

Fig. 3 is a further plan view showing the balloon inflated and the formslipped entirely therein;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a modified apparatus; and a Y V Fig. 5 is afragmentary perspective view showing the manner of support duringprintmg.

This improved process of printing on inflatable articles, such asballoons, in its broadest aspect consists of inserting a form, having apredetermined shape and size, inside Balloons have of the balloonto-stretch and hold its surface for printing, and then printing on thesurfaces of the article. The'form may be of a rigid, or a collapsibleconstruction, and may be made of any suitable material.

As illustrated in the drawing, an inflatablearticle, such as a balloon10 is first stretched so that it forms a flat object having a perimeterof the same shape and approximating the size of a great circle of theinflated article. This may be accomplished by inflating the balloon andinserting aform -12, of the predetermined shape and size, therein duringinflation; The neck of the I balloon 10- is placed over the open end ofthe tubular form 12. The form is connected to a Valve 13 which controlsthe passage of air-under pressure from any suitablesource.

The neck 11 is held tightly around the form when air under pressure isadmitted through the tubular form to inflate the balloon. As the ballooninflates, the neck is moved around the form as indicated in Fig. 2. Theinflation ofthe balloon 10 and the movement of the neck 11 around theform= l2 continues until the form is entirely within the balloon. The.air pressure is then shut off, and the neck'll released so thatairwithinthe ball'o-on may escape. Whenthe balloon is entirely deflated,the balloon fits tightly over so the form and provides two flat surfaceswhich may be-readily printed upon by'any well known printing apparatus.'If desirable, the balloon may first be inflated, and then the forminserted while the balloon is wholly inflated, or as it starts deflatingin size. 2

A modified apparatus is illustrated in Fig. l in which a stopper 15 isplaced in the neck 11 of the balloon 12. An air pipe 16 is connectedwith the hole 17 in the stopper to admit air under pressure to inflatethe balloon. The end 20 of a wire form 18 is then 2 passed through ahole 19 in the stopper 15. As the balloon is inflated, the stopper 15and neck 11 are moved around the wire form, in a manner similar to thatshown in Figs. 1 and 2, until theentire form is inside the balloon. Theballoon is then deflated sothat it stretches tightly and flatly overthewire form. Byutilizing a wire form, a thinner fiat object maybeobtained for printing.

The printing may then be accomplished on any well known printingapparatus. In

. the preferred manner, however, a platen 23 is provided for theprinting press, having a groove 21 of size and shape so'that the form 12or 18 fwillcfit therein. {Thecenter portion 22 of the platen forms aflat back 7 p 10 ing surface for the balloon during 7 i The impressionmay then -be'-- iiiade lay-any h printing type or cuts to. producethedesired impression 0r designpn'theballoon; As'illustrated in'Fig. 5,aepo rtion ioithe globe,

16 the Western Hemisph'ere'5 has beeninipressed" thereon. The balloon;then be turned over and the Eastern .Hemisphegre printed on the, otherside, thus iformingla substantially continuous design around the surfacea of the balloon. It. will he readily appree ciated from the above;disclosure that any words, characters,- or designs can be ima printed onthe. surface ofar balloon without q the danger oismudging the ink Due tothe 1 fact that theprinting is done while the bal- 7' 10011 isstretched, thedistortion of the image wheninflated Wlillbe minimized. V

The term great-circle as used inthe foregoing shall be interpreted asmeaning a so eifimeter of the inflated-balloon on a plane passingtherethrough and vcontaining the axis 0f the-balloon.

What-I claim as new. anddesire to secure by L tte s Patent is: I i

a 1 1. The process of printingon inflatable articles consisting instretchingthe article v to aflatform of a shape and size approxina-tinga great circleof the article when inflated then printin-gthereon ina'stretched flat condition T ecprocess of. printing on inflatable 4airtlcles, consisting in. inflatingthe article and M ineerting fa iormtherein having a shape and size approximating 'greatcircle ofthe artiolewhen inflated, thenv deflating the article sothat it is stretchedfirmly-arid flatly over said form, and then-printing thereon While in astretched but flat condition.

Signed at Westboro, Massachusettg-this 59 Qth day of December, 1930;

, e VQGARL G.SPRAGUE.

